Swirl-head separator



SWIRL-HEAD S EPARATOR Filed Sept. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1948- w. .1. KALMEYEI 7 2,440,860

SWIRL-HEAD SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 4, 1948 SWIRL -HEAD SEPARATOR Application September 14, 1946, Serial No. 697,050

My invention relates to apparatus for removing suspended particles of liquid from gases and particularly to an improved construction of swirl-head separator. Such apparatus is commonly used for cleaning natural gas, as well as for treatment of divers other gases, and one form thereof is illustrated in 'Sillers Patent 1,917,606. As shown therein (see particularly Figures 4-6), the apparatus in general comprises a series of spiral plates arranged in spaced relation about a vertical axis and enclosed within a cylindrical casing. The inner edges of the curved plates define a vertical cylindrical void which serves as an inlet passage. The outer edges of the plates lie in the surface of a cylinder and the space between them and the casing affords an annular outlet passage.

The curved plates are framed at their upper and lower edges into circular horizontal plates or discs, the lower of which forms a pan for collecting the separated liquid and has a central opening communicating with the inlet void; The upper plate overlies the spiral plates and the central void thereby forcing gases entering the latter to escape by flowing in spiral'paths between the plates to the annular outlet passage. Each of the curved plates is provided at spaced intervals with vertical channel-shaped ribs, extending between the horizontal plates. These ribs serve the combined function of providing separating obstructions in the spiral passage between the curved plates and drainage channels for the separated liquid. 7

The construction of separators as described above has heretofore been'attended by considerable difficulty. The curved plates (particularly if of large size) are diflicult to form accurately and to assemble in properly spaced relation to provide spiral gas passages of uniform width therebetween; and this difliculty is increased by the necessity of providing the aforementioned separating ribs or channels at intervals on the plates.

An object of my invention is to provide a swirl head for separators which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate and yet maybe accurately assembled to provide narrow gas passages of precise width without clifiiculty. Another object is to produce swirl-head separators of improved performance by providing a construction which may be easily made to conform accurately to the design dimensions in all parts. and free from the dimensional deviations from theoretical design usually encountered and necessarily tolerated in separators of previously known construction. 1

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I form the spiral passages by assembling in proper relation a plurality of plane pieces of plate. Each spiral passage wall comprises several such plates Pittsburgh, Pa., a cor- 2 Claims. (Q1. 183-102) disposed side by side with their vertical edges overlapping, and having bends adjacent said edges whereby they form a generally spiralshaped wall made up of a series of fiat surfaces instead of being a continuous curve. The edges of each plate beyond the laps or joints is shaped to extend outwardly from the next plate and thus provide liquid separating and collecting channels or ribs on opposite sides of the element adjacent each joint. The laps or joints of the several spiral walls are disposed in radial alignment, and have holes therethrough so that they may be assembled upon radial rods or spokes, with pipe spaces between adjacent plates.

A clear understanding of the construction outlined above may be obtained from the following detailed description which refers to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings,

Figure l is a vertical axial section through a separator having the swirl head of my invention mounted therein;

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section taken along the plane of line II--II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the plane of line III III of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal section taken along the plane of line IV-IV of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved swirl head is shown mounted in a casing I which is preferably a pressure vessel of substantial wall thickness, having a gas inlet 2 in the side and a gas outlet 3 in the top. The swirl head, indicated generally at 4, is disposed in the upper end of the casing, being supported upon and conveniently secured to a circumferential ring or flange 5 Welded in the casing. The swirl head 4 includes a bottom plate 6 having a central opening with an inlet guide ring I seated therein and drain tubes s depending from diametrically opposite points. A cap plate 9 on top of the head has radial spacer bars in secured thereto. A plurality of banks of spaced substantially parallel plates l l through iii are disposed about and spaced from the axis of the head to define a plurality of continuous gas passages of generally spiral shape. In the example illustrated, the head is composed of eight banks of plates, the adjacent edges of successive banks overlapping and secured together by radial tie bolts Ziiand spacer sleeves 2i, and vertical tie bolts 22 extending through cap plate 9 and bottom plate 6.

The vessel I is adapted to hold a pool of liquid in the bottom formed by the accumulation of separated particles of liquid draining through pipes 8 from the bottom of the swirl head. Any convenient means may be provided for removing the liquid or controlling its level. The liquid level should, however, be high enough to provide a 2,440,860 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE the overlapping The gas entering the inlet 2 is apt to form a.

vortex in the vessel below the swirl head as an up-stream result of the vortex produced within.

the swirl-head core. To avoid this, I prcvide the collar 1 with a plurality of transverse bafies or" swirl-stoppers Ia. By this means, the overalr pressure drop through the apparatus may be appreciably reduced, Other gas treatin almaratus may, of course, be mounted between thepool and the swirl head, such as various gas-and-liquid contact devices. The presence of such devices m les"iteven more desirable-to prevent a vortex from forming below the swirl head inlet.

A deflectpr 2 31s mounted. adjacent the inner end of the inlet 2' to divide inflowing gases betwen paths in opposite directions around the vesjsel and efi'ect'a gradual-transition to generally upward flowtoward the cent'ra'l'void' in the swirl headi' The ascendin liquid-laden gas enters the swirl head at the bottom; passing upwardly tfjoughcollar 1 between baifies- 1a, and thence flows outwardly through the continuous spiral passages defined by the banks of plates through [9 f The construction of-the; assembl ofplates is shown more clearly in Figure 2'; As there shown, the innermost of'the plates, ii and i2,

ap roach the void in the head generally'tangentially, anddivide it intoa plurality of passages spiralling outwardly. The'wall's of these passages comprise two adjacent series of overlapping plate's. One is the series of plates ll, l3, l5, l1 and i9, of successivebanks and the other is the series l2, i4, i8, and I8. Since eight banks of plates are used, there are eighticoncentric spiral passages The edges of theplates extend beyond portions thereof. Plates Hand l9 are shorter'than the others, plates H being unsupported at their inner ends, while plates H! are supported at their outer ends by tie rods 22, approximatel'ymidway between the outer ends off-"the bolts 23. I prefer to weld plates H? to the rods 22 after assembly The overlapping edges of'successive platfesof the series areheld tightly together by pressure of the spacers 2| on opporesulting from the tension in I through the plates (which are punched for this purpose) and the pipe spacers Z i. Considering each series as beginnin at the central void and ending at the outer cir cumference of the head, the laps are formed with the rearmost plate radially inside the next forward plate and so on. Each plate after the first is bent on the forward side of the lap'at the corsitesides of the lap, the'tie, rods 2i) passing rect angle to extend to the next lap in the spiral s'piral gaspassages on series. It is also bent at its rear edge at a small distance from the next forward plate to form a series of vertical channels or troughs 24 in the the inner side of the passage, Each rear plate is bent back on itself at its f'erward edge, as shown at 25, providing a series of troughs or channels on the outer side of the several gas passages. Theextren e outer ends of plates is are similarly bent as shown. The channels 26- and extend approximately midway into the spiral gas passages from opposite sides and effectively remove drops of liquid from the gas passing through the passages; The liquid flows down the troughs and collects On the bottom plate 6', overflowing eventually through drain pipes 8.

It will beapparentfrom the foregoing that the construction disclosed herein has numerous advantages over that known heretofore. In the first place, the spiral post gcs for the outflowine gasare formed exclusively: from generally flat plates having their edges bent at an angle thereto. The formation of the plates is a simple mat ter and may easily be effected by suitable dies.

-'The,individual plates of each bank are duplicated in the several banks and the assembly of the plates intobanks and the banks into a comp l'et e head is, a simple matter. The radial tie bolts and" spacer sleeves insure the proper positioningci? thezplates-relative to each other to providepassages of uniform width throughout. The bending of the extreme edges of the plates to form drop-trapping channels further simplifies the construction andreduces the cost thereof.

Although I have illustrated and described but a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in the detailsofthe construction disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention of the scope of the appended: claims.

I-claim:

11 A swirl? head for a separator comprising a plurality of banks of plates, the plates of each bank being: generally flat-and substantially parallel, the banks being disposed side by side about and-spaced from a common vertical axis withthe edge of'each plate of" any one bank'overlapping the edge of'a plate in theadjacent bank: which is more remote from said axis, wherebythe plates of the several banks define a plurality of continuous, generallyspiralpassages for" outward flow of liquid-bearing gas frcm the region adjacent said axis, each passage including a'plura'lity of rectllinear'pcrtidns, 'the extreme rear edge of'the outer plate offeach pair of overlapping plates of adjacent banks being spaced from theinner one to forrnadrop-trapping channel.

2. A swirlhead for a separator comprising a plurality of banks of plates, the plates of each bank bing'generally flat and substantially parallel, the banks being disposed side bysideabout and spaced from acommon vertical axis with the edge of each plate of any one-bank overlapping the edge; ofa plate in the adjacent bank which is more remote from said axis, whereby the plates of the several banks define-a plurality of continuous, generally spiral passages 'for outward flow of liquid-bearing gas from the region adjacent said axis, each passage including a pinrality' of rectilinear portions,'the extreme for- V ward edge-of'the inne-r'plate of each pair of overlapping-plates of" of adjacent banks being bent back o'nitself t'o'f-orm a drop-trapping channel.

WALTER-J. KALMESEER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record the file of th pat nt:

'UNI EED STATES PATENT 

